Chocolate is one of the most simplest, and yet, most complex substances of the confectionery world. It has undergone a metamorphosis since its discovery by Spanish and Portuguese explorers in what seems like an age ago. Very few in this day and age would recognize chocolate in its raw form of ancient times.
I got the idea to start this blog when I was talking to my mom one night. We were discussing the class she had currently been in: Chocolates and Confections class at the Culinary Institute of America, with Chef Greweling. I had taken the same class several years before, and shared some of my experiences with her. As we talked, we discussed our thirst for knowledge, particularly about chocolate and sugar, and how our chef knew chocolate and sugar on a molecular level. I remember scribbling in my notebook, trying to keep up with the information Chef was churning out faster than a Kitchen Aid mixer on top speed, and wishing I could absorb more.
I distinctly remember Chef hailing my class with a few words of wisdom pertaining to chocolate in particular: that the chocolate we buy at the store is not purely chocolate, but simply products that have been made with chocolate. And the more I research this fascinating topic, the more I discover that he is absolutely, profoundly right.
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My mother's and my late night conversation inspired me to start an amateur research project of my own, and then to post my findings here. For anyone who has ever had cravings for chocolate, whether it be a sugary fix, post-break-up consolation, love potion, or the simple taste of satisfaction, here is chocolate, up close and personal.
